


Dandelions

by Masdevallia



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Child Abuse, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Married Couple, Past Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-19
Updated: 2020-01-19
Packaged: 2021-02-27 15:48:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22309681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Masdevallia/pseuds/Masdevallia
Summary: Bernadetta awakens from a nightmare and Ferdinand comforts her.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir/Bernadetta von Varley
Comments: 8
Kudos: 92





	Dandelions

**Author's Note:**

> Help, I can't stop writing these two and the tag is kinda dead so I'm taking it upon myself to help fill it up. This story takes place either post canon (any route) or could take place after my Fernadetta fic, Sarracenia. It doesn't really matter. Please enjoy!
> 
> The first 625 words are rated M. The rest is rated G.

Bernadetta was seven years old when it started. She remembered she was playing with the stray flowers growing over the cracks of the pavement in front of her parent’s manor. It was her birthday today and her uncle had gotten her some sweet buns and a hedgehog plush and had brunch with her before he had to leave on an errand. If it weren’t for that, then today would have been like any ordinary day.

She loved being outside, with the sunshine and the flowers that refused to listen to laws of nature. Flowers that grew wherever they pleased.

“Bernadetta, come here,” her father said, his voice firm and commanding. 

She was too absorbed with watering the daisies with a glass of water she had taken from the kitchen. 

Father walked over to where she was and grabbed her by the top of her arm, his grip hard enough to leave a bruise. She dropped the glass of water with the shock of her father's grip. There were shards everywhere now.

“Owww!” she screamed. The sound was piercing enough for his men to take notice, but they looked away just as quickly.

“Do not ignore me, you stupid child,” he said. His gaze fell on the daisies growing over the pavement. “ _ This _ is what you were choosing to ignore me over? For some weeds?” He let go of her, and with that same hand, he yanked the daisies from their stems. 

“ _ No _ !” She began to sob as he crumpled them up with his hands and threw them on the ground. 

He grabbed her arm once more and dragged her indoors as she screamed in protest. The guards pretended not to notice her as she screamed for help. 

He took her to his office and sat her down on a chair. She was still crying over the loss of the daisies.

“Quit your blubbering, you snivelling child.”

She wanted to stop, but she couldn’t stop. 

He slapped her, which only made her sobs even louder. 

“The goddess cursed me with such a useless child.” He held her down against the chair. “Listen to me.”

“Y-yes, Father?” Snot was falling down her nose. 

“You are a lady of House Varley and it is essential that we start your training now.”

“T-training?” She read books where girls her age and standing were given lessons in manners and etiquette. She knew her grandfather and father were Counts and she came from an important family. “L-like acting l-ladylike during tea?”

“Yes. It’s important we begin your lessons now so you can find a rich husband that will benefit our house. Do you understand the importance of that?”

She nodded, sniffing back a tear.

“I have a challenge for you, Bernadetta. Stay in that chair and keep quiet. Do not move and do not say a word.”

“Why?” Was this a game of some sort?

“Because a rich husband will prefer a quiet and submissive wife. It’s of the utmost importance that you learn that now. If you say anything else I will be forced my hand.”

“O-okay.” Eyes wide at her mistake, she covered her mouth with her hands. 

He shook his head. “You won’t learn simply sitting like this. Which is why I brought some help.” He took out chains from under his desk and began to tie them around her body.

“No Father, please don’t! I’ll be quiet. Promise!”

But it was no use. He only made the chains around her stomach harder. She kicked, but he was stronger. Her kicks didn't even affect him. 

"Stop it Father, you're hurting me!" 

“Don’t move. Otherwise you will scratch yourself. That is the lesson at hand.” He left the room as she screamed and screamed for help. 

But nobody came.

* * *

Bernadetta woke up screaming. She was covered in sweat and had the taste of bile in her mouth. The taste made her nauseous. She rose from the bed, but the effect made her feel lightheaded.

“Bernadetta, love? Are you alright?”

Her fingertips were on her face, which was wet with falling tears. She was still feeling lightheaded and dizzy.

“Bernadetta?” 

“Ferdinand?” she said, turning to her husband. His hand found hers. 

“Did you have a nightmare?”

She nodded. The room was still dark, but daybreak was rapidly approaching. She could see a crack of light coming from the window. It reflected in her husband’s bright hair. His arms went around hers as he neared her. He placed a kiss on her temple.

“You have not experienced one for quite some time.”

“I know. I’m sorry for waking you,” she whispered. 

“You need not be sorry, my love.” He lowered her onto the bed, arms still around her. She was facing him, their gazes never leaving the other. “Do you need anything from the kitchen? Some water, or sweets? Perhaps tea?”

She shook her head. “Um…”  _ I want you to stay here with me.  _ She sniffled, unable to properly vocalize what she was thinking.

“Then perhaps I can sing to you to sleep?”

All she could do was nod. 

Ferdinand began to sing softly while stroking her hair. The small crack of daylight grew as the minutes progressed. Bernadetta relaxed her posture and closed her eyes, accepting her husband’s songs. She recognized it from one of the operas he took her to watch years ago. The main character sings it to their dying lover. 

But Ferdinand’s take on the song was very much that of a lullaby. 

She couldn’t go back to sleep, but she was certainly starting to feel a lot better. 

She opened her eyes. “Thanks, Ferdinand,” she said. She brought her arms to him, placing them around his chest, looping them around his back. 

He moved forward, pressing his forehead against hers. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“It was a memory from long ago. Of...well, the first time my father chained me to the chair. It was on my seventh birthday. I kicked and I screamed and I cried and no one was there to save me. Everyone saw what he was doing and they did nothing.”

Ferdinand’s hand cupped her cheek. “I wish I could have done something, anything.”

She let out a resigned laugh. “Oh Ferdie, you were only a child, too. But you’ve done so much for me already. You give me so much happiness, so much joy. Even now when I’m sad and when I wake from my nightmares...” She would never see her father again. He was locked up and would never hurt her again. But that didn’t stop the occasional nightmares she got.

He sighed. “But what is done is done. It is but a futile wish. There is nothing we can do but move forward. You are such a lovely and wonderful and dare I say, perfect person.”

She giggled. “Ferdinand!” 

He closed the small gap between them, his lips on hers. He broke the kiss, remaining centimeters away. “You feel perfect, too, my love.” He kissed her again, even deeper this time. Her hands moved to his long, tangled hair and she dug her fingers inside them. The sun was fully up now, lighting the entire room. 

“I love you, Ferdinand,” she said, untangling her fingers from his hair. 

“I love you too, Bernadetta. Always.” He kissed her once more, only a small peck, and lowered his mouth as he kissed her neck, her clavicle, and traced the expanse of her belly. He settled there, giving it endless kisses through the fabric of her clothes. “And I love you too, little von Aegir.”

Bernadetta felt a movement within her. He was becoming more active recently. “He loves you, too, Ferdinand.”

“He?”

“Gut feeling, I guess.”

He remained there, stroking her belly. The sensation was ticklish at first, but after a few breaths, she began to grow used to his touch. He began to hum this time. Bernadetta was starting to forget her nightmare. She knew she would never see her father ever again and she was living the life she never thought she deserved. It took many nights of cuddling and his verbal reassurance for her to realize she deserved this life.

The door knocked. It was more of a bang actually. Bernadetta flinched.

“Mama! Daddy!”

Ferdinand remained by her side. “The door is open, sweetheart.”

The door burst open and in ran a little girl with long amber hair and gray eyes. Her hair was extremely long, Bernadetta noted. All the way down her back. She was the very image of her father. “Guess what?” she asked. 

“What is it, sweetheart?” Ferdinand asked. 

They exchanged a glance, knowing what she was about to say. 

“Today’s my birthday!” she had a large grin on her face. It was the permanent expression she wore on her face. She had inherited her father’s excitable temperament and overall friendliness. She also had a strong capability of getting rowdy from time to time, yet another one of her father's qualities. Ferdinand insisted she would grow out of it. 

“And how old are you turning?” Bernadetta asked, also knowing the answer. 

She held up seven fingers. “Oh and guess what? Guess what?!” She smiled even wider. Her finger was on one of her front teeth. “I have a loose tooth!”

“You are growing into being a fine young lady,” Ferdinand said. 

“Come here,” Bernadetta said, patting over to where Ferdinand was. He graciously moved away from her so that their daughter could lay between them. His hands found his daughter’s hair and Bernadetta noticed her hair color almost exactly matched her father’s. “Put your hand right here.” The baby moved against her daughter’s hand. She gasped. 

“She’s moving!” she said, gasping. 

“Your mother thinks your little sibling might be a boy.”

“I thought she could only have girls?”

They laughed at their daughter’s words. “No, my sweet. Your mother had two daughters but it is possible she could have a boy this time. One is never certain when expecting a baby.”

“I may not be certain, but I think it could happen this time!!”

“When is he coming?” she asked. 

“Not for a while,” Bernadetta said. “In about four months.”

Their daughter was quiet as she kept her hand over her mother’s nightgown, but Bernadetta knew that wouldn’t last long. She was a curious and talkative child. Bernadetta imagined Ferdinand was very similar when he was her age. “What are we going to do to celebrate?!”

Ferdinand lifted his daughter from the bed and placed her on his back. “Well, I can make you, your mother, and sister some breakfast, and after that, we can take a ride into town and I will buy you anything you wish.”

“Can mama come with us?”

“I am afraid she cannot ride in her current state. But we will be sure to bring her back many cakes for days and days!”

“That sounds great!” Bernadetta said, getting up from the bed. “I’m excited to see what you’ll bring back. I hope it’s berry cakes!” She loved berries but she had an abnormal craving for them as of late.

While Ferdinand and their daughter were in the kitchen, Bernadetta checked on her second child, a sleepy little girl who would turn four later that year. Bernadetta bent down and stroked her daughter’s hair. It was closer to Ferdinand’s shade, but a darker hue of amber. She moved to her side, eyes closed. 

Bernadetta pressed a kiss to her daughter’s forehead. She woke up, her amber eyes boring into her. 

“Mama?” Her face was the very picture of serenity. Although whenever she was awake, she was just as free-spirited as her sister but just as sweet as her.

“It’s time to wake up. You don’t want to miss your sister’s birthday breakfast, do you?”

“Oooh!” She got up, lifted the sheets and bolted out of the door. 

When she walked downstairs, she could already smell the eggs being cooked. Their daughter was nibbling on some bread as Ferdinand began serving the meal. Their second daughter was waiting for her meal as well.

She smiled, feeling grateful that under her guidance, her husband was able to cook now. He wasn’t an expert by any means, but he wanted to surprise her more often than not with meals and with baked pastries. He greatly enjoyed surprising their daughters as well.

After they ate, Ferdinand went to the stables and fetched his horse while Bernadetta stayed with their daughters outside. 

“Mama look! There’s flowers growing over here!” Her eldest grabbed her by the hand and pointed over at the flowers. They were bright yellow and upon closer inspection, they weren’t daisies, but…

“Oh! Those are dandelions.”

“Can I pick them, mama?”

“I wanna pick them, too!” said their younger daughter.

“Let them grow and I’ll come water them with your sister after you two leave, alright?”

“Okay!”

Ferdinand arrived soon after in his horse. He got off and embraced his wife. “Are you feeling better, my love?”

“Yes, thank you.”

He kissed her, placing one hand on the small of her back. He pulled away and she brought him back to her, savoring the slightly salty taste of their breakfast and tea on his lips. 

“Let’s go! Let's go!!!” their daughter said. 

Ferdinand pecked her lips one last time before picking up his daughter and placing her on the horse. He positioned himself behind her and they rode away. 

She looked at the dandelions. “Okay! It’s time to feed you guys. Let’s go get some water.”

“Okay mama.”

Bernadetta grabbed her little hand. “I’ll teach you how to water the plants, okay? You can’t use too much or too little water.”

She nodded. “Hmmhmm!”

“And after that, we can bake some muffins today as a surprise for your sister when she gets back. I’m in the mood for blueberry. I’ll let you lick the bowl when I’m done!” 

She jumped up and down, Bernadetta moved her hand to make the motion easier. “Yayyy!”

Bernadetta walked into the kitchen, humming the song Ferdinand sung to her hours ago, her daughter singing the words to it as she filled a glass of water for the flower. She didn’t get all the lyrics right, but she already had such a lovely voice. She felt at peace, knowing all would be well.


End file.
